High-frequency thermocouple



Dec. 19, 1944. J, MOLES- 2,365,207

HIGH FREQUENCY THERMOCOUPLE Filed NOV. 9, 1942 Figl.

Fig.6. Y (D I 1 Inventor:

His Attorney.

Patented Dec. 19, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,365,207 HIGH-FREQUENCY THERMOCOUPLE Frank J. Moles, Schenectady, N. Y.. asslgnor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 9, 1942, Serial No. 465,085 Claims. (01. 171-95) My invention relates to high frequency current wave meters, signal generator attenuators, wave phenomenon detecting and current measuring guide exploring devices and the like. For examdevices and in particular to a high frequency ple, a maximum reading will indicate a resonant thermocouple wherein the thermocouple may condition in the circuit producing the high freconstitute a part of the high frequency current 5 quency field. circuit- The thermocouple heater circuit is pref- It will be noted that no high frequency circuit erably sealed in an evacuated chamber to retard leads or connections are required since the high loss of heat and prevent oxidation of the heated f que y Current in t heater is induced metals used and means are provided to segregate therein by induction. The heater and pick-up the high frequency and direct current circuits loop and thermocouple are sealed in one small to the extent desired. envelope with only the two direct current thermo- The features of my invention which are believed couple leads brough Out- Y maintaining the to be novel and patentable will be pointed out 001 lie-l3 n a fi ed position adjacent to a hi in the claims appended hereto. For a better unfrequency rr nt r t f fixed q n y. he derstanding of my invention reference is made in thermocouple may be calibrated in terms of high the following description to the accompanying frequency current flow in such circuit. The dedrawing in which Fig. 1 represents an embodi vice is particularly suitable for use with high fre ment of my invention where the alternating and quency currents from 300 to 3000 megacycles.

direct current circuits are distinct; Figs. 2 and 3 The thermocouple its m y be of standard deshow modifications where the direct current thersign. It is noted that the direct current of the mocouple and the high frequency circuit are thermocouple will not flow in the high f q e y common. In Fig. 2 the high frequency is kept 0 p and as intended to be used the thermocoup out of the direct current instrument by twisting circuit does not pic p high reque y cu rentthe instrument leads and in Fig. 3 by a by-pass In Fig. 1 it is not intended that the thermocouple condenser. Fig. 4 represents the use of my -in- 5 leads M W be placed intentionally in P D vention in a wave meter. Fig. 5 represents a inductive relation with the high frequency field modification of my invention for measuring the s is t 1 1 we if y h eload current in a concentric cable high frequency quency current is induced in the leads l4, it takes circuit, and Fig. 6 is a connector that mayb the path through'the condenser shown connected used with the tube of Fig. 5. across the terminals of the instrument 20 rather Referring to Fig. 1, l0 represents a sealed and ha ril h the instrument 20 itself, because evacuated tube which may be made of glass. I the instrument includes a coil, as usual, having one end is aclosed conductor loop I i made of filainductance which prevents the flow o high ement wire. The loop is supported by sealing its quency current therein under the circumstances conductor extensions into a glass support 12. Th where such high frequency current can easily pass part l3 of the loop constitutes a heater for a through the condenser. If high frequency curthermocouple having its'hot junction secured t rents become bothersome in the thermocouple heater l3 and its leads I4 extending out of the circuit, either of the other e pe of Figs. 2 tube through an insulating seal at 5. The theror 3 may be used to prevent this.

mocouple is also. supported by the support 12. 40 In Fig. 2 the high frequency pick-up loop and The loop ll--l3 is of such dimensions and rethermocouple are combined. The hot junction sistance that when the loop part of the tube is of the thermocouple is at N5. o s in FigS- 2 inserted into a high frequency field, high freand 3, the filament portion of the entire high frequency currents are induced therein and the part quency loop I! is heated as well as the junction I3, at least, heated appreciably. The tube shown at IE, but this does not impair the thermocouple may be 1% inches in lengthwith the other diaction so long as the instrument ends of the leads mensions in about the proportions represented. remain cool. The high frequency pick-up loop The heater element I3 may have a resistance of, comprises the wires ll of the thermocouple which say, from 40 to 400 ohms and the thermocouple are connected together at I6 and coupled at 18 connected to a m-icroammeter 20 for detecting 0 by twisting the insulated direct current instruhigh frequency current flow in the loop "-13 ment. leads of the thermocouple together, preferwhich heats the part l3 and the hot junction ably within the tube. The impedance of the high 'of th thermocouple. Such a device is convenient frequency coupling formed by twisting the wires for inserting into high frequency field cavities is insignificant as compared to the impedance of to indicate maximum currents in high frequency the remainder of the high frequency pick-up loop line.

for the high frequencies contemplated. The close presence of the twisted together wires forms an effective by-pass condenser. This segregates the high frequency circuit from the instrument 20 and no high frequency current flows through the instrument. The very small thermocouple current that flows in the loop l6, I1 is immaterial.

Fig. 3 is much like Fig. 2 except that a more nearly conventional by-pass condenser is used to close the high frequency loop. This by-pass condenser consists of a, metal cylinder lfi which also supports the fine wires. It has a small hole bored therethrough at 2| through which one of the thermocouple leads pass and is insulated from the cylinder. The cylinder is one plate and the wire which passes through the hole 21 is the other plate of the by-pass condenser. The other thermocouple instrument lead is through the metal of the cylinder, as shown. Where the device is to be used so that the leads ll tend to pick up high frequency current, they may be twisted as in Fig. 2 but generally this will be unnecessary if the by-pass condenser of Fig. 3 is used.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a concentric conductor wave meter having a high frequency input loop 22 connected between the inner conductor 23 and outer conductor 24 of a high frequency input concentric conductor cable. The outer conductor 24 connects with the metal shell 25 of a cylindrical cavity which has an adjustable center conductor 26. The device comprises high frequency loading device having inductance and capacity, the relative value of which is adjustable by adjustment of the effective length of the center conductor 26 by a screw 28. At a given input frequency the device may be adjusted to a resonant condition and requires a. different adiustment to obtain the resonant condition for the inner conductor 33 of the load line. The outer and inner conductors of the load line are connected together at-their ends, at least one each .difierent input frequency. The device may thus be calibrated as an ultra-high frequency meter called a wave meter, such that when the resonant condition is obtained the 'wave length of the input frequency may be indicated. A dial 21 which rotates. with the adjusting screw 28 may have a scale calibrated in wave length and indicated with respect to a stationary index 29. My thermocouple device represented at 10 is used to detect the resonant conditions.

The thermocouple detector 10 is introduced into the resonant cavity through an opening in shell so that its loop will pick up the high frequency signal by inductive coupling. A res-' onant condition will be indicated by a maximum reading of the instrument 20.

In Fig. 5 I have represented another modification and application of the invention. Fig. 5, 36 and 3| represent the inner and outer conductors of a concentric cable high frequency supply line having a plug connection circuit adapter at its end.- Adapted to be plugged into the end-of the high frequency supply line is a concentric cable load line built in-the form of a tube preferably sealed and evacuated. The tubular load line is shown disconnected but when connected, its two similar halves are connected 'in parallel across the load line and terminals the same. In the discussion which follows it will be assumed that the plug connection represented has been completed. The plug arrangement is such as to preserve the concentric cable arrangement. The'end of the outer conductor 3| of the supply line is connected to the center section of the outer conductor 32 of the load The end of the inner conductor of the of these high frequency connections and preferably both being by way of a by-pass condenser 34, winch may consist of an outer tubular conductor integral with the end wall connection closely surrounding the inner conductor 33 but insulated therefrom. The load line thus comprises a hollow metal cylinder with a conductor running axially through its center and this cyllnder is preferably sealed and evacuated as by thesealin plug 35 of insulating material and sealing plugs of insulating material between the plates of the by-pass condensers 34.

The central portion of the inner conductor 33 of the load line is made up of fine wires 36 and 31 of different metals constituting a thermofrequency currents and thus assist in heating the junction point 38 to which it is connected.

The wires 36 and 31 have equal resistances and are heated by the high frequency current and contnbute to the heat of the hot junction 38.

The thermocouple thus formed '-is connected to a D.-C. instrument 20, the connections being through the center conductor 33 which extends axially out of the load line cylinder.

Now, it is seen that the load line constitutes a resistance load for the high frequency supply line, the two similar halves of the load line being connected in parallel across the supply.

line. Owing to the symmetrical concentric cable arrangement the load is non-inductive and owmg to the high resistance of the sections 36 31 and 39 as compared to the insignificant impedance of the by-pass condensers 34 at high frequency the load is substantially a pure resistance and is thus independent of frequency. The instrument 26 is connected acrosspoints of the high frequency circuit at the ends of conductor 33 which are of equal high frequency potential at all times, hence no high frequency current flows into the instrument 20. The direct current thermocouple circuit is, however, segregated from the high frequency line by the bypass condensers and hence there is no continuous path for D. C. into the high frequency supply I line. The thermocouple instrument may, therefore, be used to measure the high frequency current .of the supply line independently of frequency variations. If I make the resistance elements of the load of materials having a zero temperature coefficient of resistance the impedance of the load will be independent of the amount of current flowing. Since in either case the load resistance can .be measured or calcusupply line is connected to the mid-point of lated, the watt loss can be calculated and the instrument," may be calibrated in watt load.

In calibrating the instrument it should be remembered that resistance sections 36 and 31 are in parallel across the supply line and resistance section 39 in series therewith. Half of the high frequency current flows in each resistan 36 and 31 and all of it in section 39. hafi 1n the other modifications, we have a. thermocouple sealed in a vacuum for high efliciency and as in Figs. 2 and3, portions of the thermocouple circuit are also the high frequency heater circuit but the high frequency and direct currents are effectively segregated for the purposes of the invention, and the impedance characteristics of the high frequency circuit are not altered 'by the presence and use of the thermocouple.

In Fig. the inner and outer conductors of the tube load circuit may be connected together at the plug connections to form a double loop high frequency pick-up antenna. A washer-shaped connector suitable for this purpose is shown in Fig. 6. ments greatest sensitivity is obtained when the plane of the loop is placed at right angles to the direction .of the inducting field and the sensitivity may be varied by rotating the tube to vary such inductive relation.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A thermocouple unit for detecting high frequency current phenomenon comprising a sealed and evacuated tube, conductor wires joined together within said tube and forming a thermocouple, connections leading out of said tube for In any of the loop antenna arrangea connecting a direct current instrument to said thermocouple, a high frequency alternating current circuit in which said thermocouple wires are included, the flow of high frequency current in such circuit causing the hot junction. of said thermocouple to be heated, and said thermocouple wires comprising the sole heating means for the thermocouple, and provisions for segregating the high frequency circuit from the thermocouple instrument connections to the extent necessary to prevent flow of high frequency current to the instrument.

2. Apparatus for detecting high frequency current phenomenon comprising a sealed and evacuated chamber, a pair of wires joined within said chamber forming a thermocouple, connections from said thermocouple leading out of said tube for connecting the thermocouple to a direct current instrument, said thermocouple wires forming portions of a high frequency. pick-up loop having no circuit connections to-an external circuit. the high frequency pick-up loop connections including by-pass condenser means which prevent short-circuiting of the thermocouple instrument circuit and prevent the flow of alternating current to the direct current instrument, the hot junction of said thermocouple being heated solely by reason of the flow of high frequency currents in said thermocouple wires.

3. A thermocouple unit for detecting high frequency current phenomenon comprising a sealed and evacuated chamber, a thermocouple within said chamber, a pair of wires leading from said thermocouple out of said chamber for connecting said thermocouple to a direct current instrument and a high frequency pick-up loop wholly within said chamber for heating the hot junction of said thermocouple by reason of the flow of high frequency alternating current in said loop, said loop requiring no electrical connections to an external circuit and adapted to be energized with high frequency current by induction from a high frequency alternatin current field originating externally of said chamber.

4. A thermocouple unit for detecting high frequency phenomenon comprising a sealed and evacuated tube, a thermocouple within said tube formed by a pair of wires in the form of a hair pin-shaped loop, the wires being joined at the closed end of such loop to form the hot junction of the thermocouple, connections from the open ends of the loop leading out of the tube for connection to a direct current instrument and a by pass condenser means between said connections within the tube, said thermocouple loop and bypass condenser means forming a high frequency pick-up loop for heating the hot junction of the thermocouple.

5. A thermocouple unit for detecting high frequency phenomenon comprising a sealed and 

